nd sharp stings. Emily was sitting in a chair by my bed, dabbing a cotton ball ont

voice raspy. I shi

if burned. "I was just tryin

pushed myself up, ignoring the protest from my m

the eye. "Who is the fath

d up, her lower lip trembled. "Ethan, why are you being so cruel? I told y

nce that had fooled me for a lifetim

oid of the emotion she was trying to pro

he name from her lips. "Look, I can see you're in some kind of trouble. If you tell me

er reliable old Ethan, fixing her problems was a familiar

she insisted, shaking her h

s difficult. Fine. If she wouldn't

dn't abandon Emily completely, not yet. He would want to see her, to control the situation, to

ved silently from my room, my bare feet making no sound on the wooden floorboards. I crept down the stairs a

om sleep. She tiptoed to the back door and unlocked it. A figure slipped inside. It was t

ut the tone was tense. After a few minutes, he handed her a small envel

out a shaky breath. She didn't turn on the light. S

d the ground near the window where he had tapped. The grass was damp with dew. And there, h

silver square with an intricate "DS" engr

to the guest room. I didn't knock. I op

her pillow. She saw the cufflink in my hand. All the

er voice a raw whisper. "Pleas

d next to her hand with a soft thud. "Daniel Sterling. A respected art dealer. A man with a bright future. A future that wo

rs of fear and desperation. "He loves me. He'

in my life to save his skin? He sneaks around in the middle of the night to give you hush money whil

know him!

"There's only one way to fix thi

ror. "What? No. I can't

t. Get an abortion. I'll pay for it. I'll even go with you, tell everyone it w

or her to clean up her mess witho

mach. "No! I won't kill my baby! I love him, Et

sacrifice my future, my family's reputation, my entire life, for a man who hi

I had offered her a way out, a chan

y voice hollow. I

ng off the bed. "The cufflink... please

back at her. "I'm not going to do

of paper. It was the receipt from the jeweler where I'd bought her engagement ring. I'd

t will ruin my life. The other is the truth that will ruin his. Y

behind me, leaving her alone with